In what is being seen as a message to BJP leaders and cadre that new Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is not a “stop-gap” arrangement, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in Davangere on Thursday that he has confidence that under the leadership of Mr. Bommai, the BJP will come back to power with full mandate in Karnataka.
This is being interpreted in BJP circles as a message from the high command that Mr. Bommai is going to be at the stewardship position for a long time. A section of party leaders were speculating that there is a possibility of a leader from the RSS stables replacing Mr. Bommai. There was also speculation that former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s son B.Y. Vijayendra could emerge a competitor to Mr. Bommai for leadership role.
However, the remarks of BJP’s key strategist Mr. Shah has for now ended speculation on who is going to lead the party in the next elections.
Addressing a gathering after simultaneously inaugurating the Gandhi Bhavan, GMIT Central Library, and Karnataka State Police Public School on the campus of GM Institute of Technology in Davangere on Thursday, Mr. Shah said Mr. Bommai had vast experience in governance as well as in public life and he had been with the BJP for long.
However, the Home Minister did not forget to recall the contribution of Mr. Yediyurappa. He said Mr. Yediyurappa did a “great job” during his two terms as Chief Minister, especially for the development of villages and farmers. “If at all the era of development began in Karnataka, it was under the BJP rule and under Mr. Yediyurappa’s rule,” he said.
He further said that Mr. Yediyurappa had himself decided that a new leader should be given the responsibility of Karnataka. “And the party decided that Mr. Bommai should be Chief Minister,” he said.
Mr. Shah said Mr. Bommai had taken new initiatives even on issues like not taking police guard of honour and shunning VVIP culture. Although it had been a very short time, those following Karnataka developments from Delhi had observed that by choosing Mr. Bommai as the Chief Minister, the BJP had strengthened its position in Karnataka, Mr. Shah said.
Programmes merged due to security concerns
Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s itinerary in Davangere on Thursday was altered at the last minute reportedly for security reasons and he inaugurated three projects from a single venue.
As per Mr. Shah’s tour programme, he was scheduled to inaugurate Gandhi Bhavan in Davangere and then proceed to Kondajji for inauguration of the Police Public School. His last programme in Davangere was the inauguration of Central Library at GM Institute of Technology.
However, the programme was changed at the last minute, Mr. Shah visited GMIT and inaugurated all three projects at one go.
